Stuck Inside Azkaban wthe Death Eater Blues Again
by Imperius Girl
Summary: Stuck inside the walls of Azkaban again, Lucius succumbs to the blues, knowing he has been left to rot.This is not how he saw the culmination of his life. He ponders the choices he made. A tentative redemption is offered from the most improbable of source
1. Contrition

Oh Mamma, Mamma! Can this really be the end? To be stuck inside Azkaban with the Death Eater Blues Again.

Chapter One: Contrition

The screaming hung in the air as Lucius bolted upright, heart pounding and tried to focus his eyes on his surroundings. His vision cleared. The bleak, gray light filtered down from the slit high in the wall, He remembered where he was. In a dank cell. In the bowels of Azkaban. With no possibility of escape.

He had been here for two long years, utterly abandoned. Abandoned by family, friends, and his associates. Worse, abandoned by the Dark Lord who had left him to rot after the debacle in the Department of Mysteries. Only two other people had visited him during this time. His son who came to view the downfall of his omnipotent father and tell him of the demise of all he had pledged to. Potter had managed to end Lord Voldermort's second Reign of Terror. Draco had taunted Lucius for enslaving himself to the loosing side and dragging the Malfoy name down as well. He had left him with a sneer and a look of loathing, His lawyer had visited 2 months ago to serve papers to him from his wife who was filing for divorce and to mention that many of the recently caught Death Eaters were naming Lucius as right hand of Voldemort and claiming that he had cursed them into complacency. His lawyer felt that there was a strong possibility that his sentencing would be altered. The New Minister of Magic was pushing for a Death Sentence. His lawyer did not give him much hope. Lucius wondered if Narcissa cut his funding. He wouldn't put it past her. She was vying for power now that Lucius was trapped in here, powerless to extract revenge. Luckily, he had protected many of his assets from her grasping clutches. Not that it helped him here.

Lucius sat up and shivered in the cold morning air. The memory of last night's dreams floated up and he shivered again. He seemed to be reliving every dark deed he had been required to perform for the Dark Lord each night when he closed his eyes. Lucius was pretty sure that the walls were charmed with a variety of dementia spells so the cell occupant would relive all of his dubious deeds, fears and phobias. He got off of his bed and walked stiffly to the water tap. The malicious guards still enjoyed taking out their feelings of inferiority by random beatings and curses. They enjoyed having a powerless DeathEater under their control, especially one from such a well to do family as the Malfoys.

But they were insignificant compared to the cruelties inflicted by Voldermort in his displeasure or the punishments he endured as a youth from his own father.

He removed his disheveled prison garments and washed up, trying not to reflect on his former standard of living. Next he began to exercise.

In the beginning when his wounds had healed, the overwhelming despair of his situation threatened to drive him mad, he turned to physical activity as a diversion. Azkaban was more tolerable if he maintained some kind of routine and he desperately needed a semblance of control. He was much thinner then when he was first shown to his "accommodations". But due to this routine he implemented he was fairly fit. His routine consisted of stretches, followed by hundreds of presses and crunches, then some running in place followed by an hour or two of pacing his cell. It was when he was pacing that he let down his defenses and allowed happier memories to wash over him. He thought about his young son, about the beginning of his marriage, about friendships, about his days at Hogswart and when he was truly melancholy, he thought about **_her _**and the path he did not choose.

He was in his 6th year at Hogswart when he met her. He was living his life as was expected of the heir of Malfoy. He was handsome, intelligent, athletic, and worshiped by most of his housemates. He was a Prefect in Syltherin. He was the Captain of the house Quidditch team and their best chaser. He was one of the brightest students, excelling in Potions, Defense against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration and Charms. He was privately tutored in the Dark arts and also excelled at hexes and curses. His father was grooming him to step into the family businesses when he finished his studies. He had everything money could buy. Girls threw themselves at him so he was rarely dateless. And he was betrothed to a13 yr old Pureblood by the name of Narcissa who attended Beaxbatton. He was cold, arrogant, ruthless and controlling. All the traits of a perfect Malfoy. Yet this year, when he awoke on the first morning at Hogwarts, he felt bored, restless and incomplete as though he were waiting for something to happen. That something happened in the second week of classes.

Lucius was sitting at a desk in his Defense against the Dark Arts taught by an elder wizard who had fought against Grindewald in the war. Professor Lumpkin was explaining the counter curses for binding spells. Lucius had known about these for several years thanks to his private instructors so he sat near the back, stifling a yawn and doodling on his parchment.

A loud knock interrupted Professor Lumpkin. The door opened and McGonagold poked her head in and asked to have a word with Lumpkin. Lumpkin quickly assigned some reading pages to the class and stepped out into the hallway. The students immediately took advantage of his absence and paper notes and other debris were flying around the between the Syltherins and Griffindors along with the usual taunts and jeering. Lucius looked up with a sneer and a bored sigh. The door abruptly opened as the students quickly huddled over their textbooks and Lumpkin walked back in accompanied by a young witch. He introduced her as a transfer student who had attended the prestigious private Isle Royale Academy of Enchantment. Her family had moved to London. Her father was a special consultant for the Ministry. Her name was Susan Hunter. She had been sorted into Griffindor.

She looked **very** ungriffindorlike. She was dressed in all black except for a bright tied dyed scarf that she wore around her waist. She wore her black school robes opened to reveal a curvy figure in a short black leather skirt, a black t-shirt with a few strategically placed holes that didn't quite reveal anything, Her shirt was cut off on the bottom and didn't meet her skirt, revealing some kind of drawing near her hip. Black fishnet stockings and knee high black leather boots reminiscent of pirate attire completed her outfit. She wore one earring that dangled an open pointy piece of metal, a black leather chocker and several leather straps on her wrist with various charms suspended from them. She had green eyes, high cheekbones, pale flawless skin, and short, messy orange hair with black tips.

Lucius and most of the male students eyed her up and down taking in her long shapely legs. Lucius swallowed and look down when he realized he was staring just as intently as the rest of the morons in his class. A Malfoy did not stare hungrily at a mere girl!

Professor Lumpkin gestured to a vacant seat and told the new girl to sit down and turn to page 121 in her textbook. She strode down the row until she arrived at the vacant seat directly in front of Lucius. She glanced down and caught Lucius's eyes checking out her chest. She raised one eyebrow and cocked a smile at him. Much to his chagrin his face flushed as he stared back down at his book. She chuckled and took her seat.

Lucius stiffened at her laugh and narrowed his eyes coldly. No one dare laugh at a Malfoy!

He suddenly became engrossed in Lumpkin's lecture and tried to keep his eyes from wandering over the shapely creature in front of him. He began devising a plan to put the new girl in her place. His lips curled up into cruel smile.


	2. Suspicions

Chapter 2: Suspicions

Bang!

Lucius' retrospection was abruptly interrupted by his cell door being flung against the stone wall. He instantly cleared his mind. His body tensed with wariness. His face assumed a vacant stare at the floor. He let his hair fall forward over his face and watched through his long eyelashes. A guard sauntered in followed by a minister official holding a handkerchief to his nose. A minister official with thinning red hair who came to a halt near Lucius' cot and motioned for the guard to leave them.

The guard said over his shoulder, "Be careful sir. This one's not right in his 'ead and prone to violent outbursts. 'e requires constant discipline. Best keep your wand ready."

"Thank you. That will be all." The minister impatiently waved the guard out. He then cleared his throat.

"Malfoy?" he said quietly trying not to gag on the smells of the dank cell.

"Arthur?" Lucius croaked, his voice rough from disuse. He stood up and towered over the man.

"Lucius," replied Arthur with a nod. He held his ground unwilling to be intimidated by Lucius' close proximity.

"To what do I owe this auspicious visitation?" Lucius' eyebrow rose and a slight sneer formed on his lips.

"There has been certain pressure put on by upper Ministry officials to reopen your case. Apparently new evidence and witnesses are being brought forth to repudiate your testimony. Many of these officials are clamoring for the Death Chamber. My sources have shown a connection between certain investments in these Ministry officials businesses by former suspected Death Eaters. You are being sacrificed for some unknown objective. I smell a rat.

I want to figure out the connections here. I also expect your ex-wife may be in the middle and may be one of the sources providing new evidence and testimony against you. I suspect that she wants to obtain full control over the Malfoy assets. What I do not know is who is the mastermind behind this push?"

"And why would you, Arthur, a man of opposing philosophy care about my demise or my fortune?" sneered Lucious, inches from Arthur's face.

"Ah, yes. Lucius. I have bore your many insults to my family and me over the years.

You have indirectly threatened my daughter with Riddle's Diary. You directly threatened my son and daughter and friends in the incident at the Ministry. You represent all that is wrong with the pure blood racist mentality. Yet, something stays my hand in my judgment of you."

"And what could that be Arthur? Certainly it isn't pity," A disdainful look appeared on Lucius haggard features.

"No," smiled Arthur, "it is simply doubt. And something Harry said."

"Doubt?" echoed Lucius, "What do you doubt?"

Arthur took his wand out and flicked his wrist mumbling under his breath, "Muffliato!" He put his wand away, glanced towards the guard leering through the cell doors then said quietly, "I have many doubts.

Number one: why you, Lord Voldemort's right hand man, was left to rot by his army when less strategic Death Eaters were freed by Lord Voldemort?

Number two: why you, during the many occasions where you had access to kill Harry and my children, managed to avoid it at all costs?

Number three: why you never betrayed your friend Severus to Lord V oldemort even when you knew he was a spy for the Order?

Number four: Why your wife, who reportedly was hiding in shame, is suddenly visible within the Ministry itself?

Number five: Why the sudden pressure from the Minister for your head?

All of this leads me to believe, Lucius, that you are the key to a mystery in the Ministry and someone wants you stopped before you open that Mystery. I am prepared to help you in return for information. I have a feeling there are some of your former colleagues behind this suspicious activities. Think it over Lucius. What do you have to loose at this point besides your life? But don't take too long. The public is clamoring for more arrests and final results. I think you will be the next sacrificial lamb."

Lucius stared into Weasley's eyes and thought, "Hmm, I believe I have seriously underestimated the muggle loving Arthur. He has caught on faster in one year than Cornillus or Scimgeour did in 10!" A smirk formed on his chapped lips. "Well, well. well Arthur. You seem to be coming out from under the shadow of the "great" Dumbledore and have grown wings. If I am in such danger as you imply, more so than the usual guard bullying, how can I trust that my information will be passed on to you without alerting my enemies?"

Arthur casually reached inside his robe and turned and walked to the cot. He sat down with a slight curl of his lip and adjusted his robes around himself. He then set a coin on the blanket.

"This coin will alert me when you wish to meet. Just stroke the Wizard's nose upwards 5 times. If he sneezes, I have gotten your message and will contact you soon either by coming myself or sending a messenger who will have a similar coin. If that person's coin burps than don't tell them anything. They are not the real messengers. If their coin starts cleaning out his ear than you can trust the messenger. If your coin goes to sleep it means I am unable to respond and you are on your own."

"A charming method Arthur. I can only wonder if the Minister is on the way what the coin will warn me with - some other bodily function?"

Arthur blushed. "Ah, well, you see my sons run a joke shop and they also provide surveillance supplies to The Order and they do like their crude humor. So no doubt the coin will, er, fart"

"I am sure to be entertained in here no doubt." Lucius said as he gestured expansively around him.

"Do think it over Lucius before we run out of time." Arthur implored.

"I shall indeed. Good day Arthur."

"Good day Lucius. Arthur flicked his wand towards the guard. "Guard! Let me out." called Arthur as he hoisted himself off the cot and walked towards the door. He did not turn to look back over his shoulder before leaving. If he had he would have seen Lucius studying his retreating figure, a ghost of a smile haunting his lips but not touching his cold grey eyes.


End file.
